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Comment by bromagosa | Hacker News Reader

My trick may sound stupid, but it does work and is beneficial in two senses. What I do is to drink quite a lot of water while coding.

I have a 1 litre bottle that I must empty and refill at least twice a day. Every time I need to refill the bottle or... empty myself, I seize the opportunity to rest for 5 minutes. That's all.

I guarantee you will get up from your chair and leave everything you're doing.

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I do the same with tea. I have a cup all day long and need to boil water, clean stuff, pee etc from time to time which forces me to disconnect my eyes from the screen.

This. It's free (or cheap), easy, and is good for your health (and not just because you are taking a break).

I've been doing this for over 10 years, starting from when I realized that I was getting sicker and more unhealthy just sitting at my desk for extended periods of time (> 4 hrs straight).

If one drinks caffeine, alternate with coffee and water. Both will guarantee to get you up at least once an hour and the water replenishes water lost from the caffeine.

Caffeinated drinks are always a net gain in water in the body.

Otherwise, individuals who drank nothing but caffeinated sodas would die of dehydration.

I agree with you, however a sizable portion of water you take in comes from the food you're eating as well.

I was about to post the exact same thing. It is the best means to ensure breaks. Plus, to counter all the ill effects of sitting, you have to stand up!

This is exactly what I've been doing for 5+ years. Never had RSI or back problems since.

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